Hi in answer to "Has anyone else ever hatched eggs older than 10 days?" I've known mother hens disappear for weeks and reappear with a brood of more than ten chicks. Going away can only mean they are all their own eggs. I've seen at least thirteen. Logic leads to the conclusion that the oldest would have to be older than 13 days.
My clucky hen has just hatched eggs that are up to a month old and have been in the fridge. I can't have a rooster. I really only wanted 6 as she is a first time clucky and mainly wanted to show my 2yr old son where chickens come from. That's my excuse for why I set eggs anyway.
I could get a dozen Barnevelders within driving distance. But the breeder told me they had been kept in the fridge for up to a month. He keeps them this way always. We are in southeast Queensland and we are just coming out of an uncomfortable, humid, rainy summer.
I researched and found the threads on hatching store bought and refrigerated eggs so went ahead.
You need to leave the eggs long enough to come to room temperature.
I set 12 eggs.
Day 4 - found one eaten out. No sign of development.
Day 7 to about 14 - I randomly candled (using a $2 LED torch in the dark backyard with the Mosquitos) they are very dark eggs and hard to read but each one showed veining and later movement.
Day 20 or 19 1/2 to be accurate 2 chicks. I didn't check the others trusting mum and nature to take care.
Day 20 1/2 - four more chicks. I had to help one stuck because half a hatched egg had slipped over it. Another chick was unzipped but dead stuck in the shell. (I'm cranky with myself I didn't check sooner) I found another egg encased by two half shells of hatched eggs. So four eggs not hatched.
Day 21 - tally is 6 healthy chicks, 1 dead and 4 not hatched.
Today the babies are out eating. I had to change the nest box to one with 3 sides so they can get in and out. There is no pipping but Mum won't give up, she still tucked the eggs back under her.
Sadly I don't think they are still living. But at least I know they were viable. It's only 21 days tonight so I can't take them from her yet just in case.
Sorry to go on so long but it's an interesting topic.
What I believe is that it all depends on how the eggs are kept. It will be interesting to see the results of your hatches and experiments.
My clucky hen has just hatched eggs that are up to a month old and have been in the fridge. I can't have a rooster. I really only wanted 6 as she is a first time clucky and mainly wanted to show my 2yr old son where chickens come from. That's my excuse for why I set eggs anyway.
I could get a dozen Barnevelders within driving distance. But the breeder told me they had been kept in the fridge for up to a month. He keeps them this way always. We are in southeast Queensland and we are just coming out of an uncomfortable, humid, rainy summer.
I researched and found the threads on hatching store bought and refrigerated eggs so went ahead.
You need to leave the eggs long enough to come to room temperature.
I set 12 eggs.
Day 4 - found one eaten out. No sign of development.
Day 7 to about 14 - I randomly candled (using a $2 LED torch in the dark backyard with the Mosquitos) they are very dark eggs and hard to read but each one showed veining and later movement.
Day 20 or 19 1/2 to be accurate 2 chicks. I didn't check the others trusting mum and nature to take care.
Day 20 1/2 - four more chicks. I had to help one stuck because half a hatched egg had slipped over it. Another chick was unzipped but dead stuck in the shell. (I'm cranky with myself I didn't check sooner) I found another egg encased by two half shells of hatched eggs. So four eggs not hatched.
Day 21 - tally is 6 healthy chicks, 1 dead and 4 not hatched.
Today the babies are out eating. I had to change the nest box to one with 3 sides so they can get in and out. There is no pipping but Mum won't give up, she still tucked the eggs back under her.
Sadly I don't think they are still living. But at least I know they were viable. It's only 21 days tonight so I can't take them from her yet just in case.
Sorry to go on so long but it's an interesting topic.
What I believe is that it all depends on how the eggs are kept. It will be interesting to see the results of your hatches and experiments.
I'm also thinking storage plays a big part.
